Do you want to write horror fiction? Part I

Introduction
With recent successes in getting my work published, a few of my readers suggested that I write about the experience. I debated starting another blog but decided to post these here. So, every couple of weeks I will post an article about getting published in horror magazines, on horror web-sites, and in horror anthology books. However, the aspects and details I relay will apply to all forms of fiction, not just horror. Before I start, there is something you should all know:

Most of you who write blogs – and who’s blogs I read – are good enough to have fiction work published and sold!

I’ve read your writing, you’ve read mine. Is it so different? I would say, no. It takes a certain creativity to get someone to read a review of a film they have already seen. I have watched films and purchased books on your suggestions. If you can engage me to seek out a film or book, I would say you can engage me to read a story. You all know a good story when you hear one. Now you just have to apply those traits to your own story.

I am going to start with some very basic stuff. It’s the kind of info we all know, but we sometimes have to be reminded. Often in the attempt to be original we forget these basic story-telling principles. I count myself in with reviewing basics. I often can’t see the forest for the trees and have to be reminded. Even worse is when you have an editor comment, I don’t understand the plot. When translated, that actually means Your story is crap! So I hope, instead of saying, “I know this already,” and just skipping over these articles, you will read them, be reminded, grasp something obvious and see it in a new light. Perhaps you’ll even realize, you are achieving the most important aspects of storytelling and your writing is ready to be published. Then, all you need is some proper presentation.

“People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them that I have the heart of a small boy — and I keep it in a jar on my desk.”
Stephen King

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Naturally, if I get a lot of likes on these posts, I will do them more frequently.